Garyeazohn Town, Rivercess County (July 7, 2025) – It is often said that education is the key to success, but for students in Garyeazohn Town, this key remains out of reach as they continue to learn under extremely deplorable conditions.
The Fehnwein Public School, which runs from kindergarten to sixth grade, accommodates over 85 students this academic year. However, for nearly seven years now, the children have been learning in the community town hall and local church buildings after their original school collapsed and has not been rebuilt.
Currently, the school is operated by four government-paid teachers under the full supervision of the Ministry of Education. Despite this, there has been no meaningful intervention to improve the learning environment for the students.
The situation has left many parents disheartened about the future of their children’s education.
“This is not what we were promised for our children’s future,” said Daniel Russell, a concerned parent in the community. He said most parents have been forced to send their children to Cestos City and other surrounding towns to continue their education, leading to low enrollment at Fehnwein Public School.
“Our children sit on the bare floor every day. Some of them carry their own chairs from home, and when they don’t have any, they stand up until school closes,” Russell lamented. “How can they concentrate when they are uncomfortable like that? This is not learning; this is suffering.”
Russell further explained that many children who remain in Garyeazohn Town have lost interest in school because of the poor condition of the learning facilities. He said some parents do not even bother to send their children to school anymore, as they feel it is a waste of time without a proper classroom.
Several other parents also shared similar frustrations. They believe that the Ministry of Education and the Government of Liberia have completely forgotten about them and their children’s future.
“We have been appealing for years now,” said Tiah, another parent. “Each time we hear promises, but nothing happens. Our children are Liberian children too, and they deserve a good school building like other places.”
The condition of Fehnwein Public School is not unique in Rivercess County. Several schools in the county are faced with similar challenges, while others have shut down completely due to the lack of buildings to host students.
Education stakeholders in the county have repeatedly called on the government to prioritize rural education by rebuilding collapsed schools and constructing new ones to reduce the growing number of out-of-school children.
For the people of Garyeazohn Town, they continue to hope that their cries will be heard, and their children will one day sit in a proper classroom where they can learn in dignity and safety.
